


Like the pavement loves the loser

by PoetsAndPunks



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M, Multi, Prostitution, Trans Character, centre for sex workers, general warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 10:21:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5044630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoetsAndPunks/pseuds/PoetsAndPunks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I’m writing this letter to whoever might care. I wanted to preserve the story about Les Amis de l’ABC, to write the stories that are often forgotten. Maybe what we do isn’t brave enough to be written about in history books, and maybe the world won’t remember us, but I refuse to believe that what we do doesn’t matter."</p>
<p>Enjolras, who works at a centre that helps sex workers with healt and other issues, is writing an open letter to the world, but somehow gets into the subject of Grantaire...</p>
<p>"I was about to correct him /.../ when I had to stop myself, /.../ 'Are you flirting with me, Grantaire?'. 'Shamelessly and all the time!', and a smirk, that was the answer I got. He is never serious."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like the pavement loves the loser

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know what warnings to chose so I chose not to use any, but, obviously, you should be warned anyway. I'm writing about sex workers, so if you think you'll get upset, please don't read :]
> 
> The inspiration is drawn from a highly educational visit at a centre for sex workers that I went to with class last spring.

To whoever might care.

 

Recently it dawned on me that we may not live forever. There’s a good chance that I, as everyone else, will die someday. I am writing this letter now to whoever could be interested. I don’t want our story to be forgotten.

My name is Aaron Nicholas Enjolras, although, just until some time ago my parents insisted on calling me Larissa. Two years ago I moved to Paris to study international law, I’m a good student but lately I haven’t gotten too many credits. There are other, more important things on my mind. I work part time at a centre for sex workers, and I really feel like this is an important cause. It frustrates me that there’s so much wrong in the world and I would like to fight at all fronts at once – however, with the help of my good friend Combeferre, I have come to realize that it’s better to help out where you can, one thing at a time. And I can help here! The knowledge, contacts and passion I have are put into great use and for once I feel like I’m really doing the right thing!

The centre is called Les Amis de l’ABC and is owned by Monsieur Jean Valjean. I’m not totally in on the details, but I think he used to own some business or something and became wealthy and appreciated therefore. Then a woman he somehow knew, who had worked on the street, passed away. She was horribly abused and died tragically in the hospital, leaving behind a young daughter. Valjean adopted the child and started the Amis centre to prevent such things from ever happening again. Here at Amis we give counselling to sex workers, some of them aren’t from France and don’t know how to buy a bus ticket or how to fill in a form to get a bank account. We offer basic health care and help the workers to find some place to live. We will also help them with any legal issues and Valjean has been known to hand out money right out of his own pocket too. Every week we organize different courses and evening activities at the centre, simply so that the clients would have something to do and not feel left out of society.

I mostly work with the law cases. I fill in forms with clients, I file reports, stay in contact with authorities, if needed, and apply for support from different organizations. Believe it or not, this business isn’t entirely legal and lately I’ve had my hands full with explaining to the police why we aren’t reporting every case of prostitution that comes to our knowledge. Combeferre and Joly study medicine and they give health advice and take care of our clients. Courfeyrac does office work just like me, but he’s better with people so he interacts a lot with the clients too. Bossuet and Bahorel were meant to do this job as well, but it turned out they are way better at helping with more practical stuff, like physically go with a client to sign a lease. Prouvaire is probably too young to work here, he is only 16, but he helps Feuilly in the kitchen – we hand out free food every day – and works sort of like a therapist for both clients and staff. Pontmercy is the newest one at Amis. He is a friend of Courfeyrac’s and he speaks both Russian, Spanish and Somali, that’s why we need him. 

Pontmercy is a little strange, first off I didn’t quite like him, he felt too fragile, but now I’ve learned he is one of the most dedicated and honest people out there. Pontmercy actually now seems to date the bosses daughter. I only know because Courfeyrac and Bahorel told me it was “totally obvious”. I hadn’t noticed, but I’m not known for being too good with feelings. On the other hand I had noticed Valjean seeming a little bit off and somehow like in a state of panic; maybe he didn’t at first enjoy the idea of a freckled literature student stealing his daughter’s heart…

The Pontmercy- thing is just one of the stories that have been going around here. I saw Bahorel and Feuilly kissing by the kitchen entrance last week. Bahorel had his hands on Feuillys but and none of them seemed to notice the outside world at all. I haven’t brought the subject up – Courfeyrac would probably just laugh at me for not understanding it earlier. Also both Joly and Bossuet (who were already sort of dating from before) are having a thing with a client – that is both of them and the same client. Or that’s what I think is going on anyway. She’s more of an escort girl than an actual prostitute, her name is Musichetta and she started coming to Amis right when the activity started. She doesn’t mind her job, it pays her rent, but she would like to become a singer – and she is amazing! Musichetta mostly needs Amis to get insurances and other official things fixed, you don’t often get taken seriously when people hear you sell your body and time for money – that and then she has actually became a good friend of us all.

Another friend I’ve made from the other side of the desk is Eponine. Her story isn’t at all as carefree as Musichetta’s. She comes from an abusive home and although her work on the street is rough and ill payed it is better than staying at home. When she first came here she had two broken ribs and was severely malnourished. To make matters worse her little sister showed up here last month – she is hardly older than our Prouvaire! Both Eponine and her sister Aselma wish to get off the street and we’re trying to give them the means to get an education.

Mostly we have women here. The average client is female, between the ages of 18 and 25, about half of the people here have another mother tongue than French. There is, however, the occasional male client. One of them is Grantaire. Where do I begin to describe this character? When he first showed up it was because he had gotten a flue too bad to cure with non-prescription medicine, and being an illegal immigrant from Turkey he couldn’t just go to the doctors; and as he said, he needed to cure the flue quickly to get back working. I don’t think Grantaire ever intended to stay at Amis, he just wanted his medicine and he’d be out, but for months now he has showed up…

Grantaire doesn’t want to be helped. He’ll accept a bowl or soup but only if you threaten with otherwise throwing it away. He gets offended if you – or let’s face it, if I – give him advice. I can’t begin to understand him! He has been treated unbelievably unfair by the entire world, but does not want pity; he knows almost all there is to know about society and philosophy, and yet he works on the street and thinks himself stupid; he does not like me, and yet he keeps coming to my discussion meetings. I get so mad when he won’t let me help! Can’t he see how much potential he’s got? It infuriates me that he sits there mocking my beliefs, when all I try to do is to help him and people in his situation. Must of all I get dangerously angry when he keeps on diminishing himself. It is almost like Grantaire doesn’t think he is worthy of anything else than people looking down at him, rich business men pulling his dark curls and not ever having enough to eat (maybe he would have if he wouldn’t drink and smoke so much!).

When I was complaining about Grantaire one time Combeferre told me not to let him get under my skin, apparently he thinks I give too much thought to the subject Grantaire – I do not! It is just the fact that he frustrates me, that’s all. I’ll say something I have thought about for a long time and that I can back up with laws and research, and all he has to do is to smile and raise an eyebrow and I lose track. He deliberately wants to create bewilderment, just because he doesn’t believe in anything. Combeferre simply doesn’t see how much trouble Grantaire is. His messy hair, his smiling eyes, his shirts that are always so tight, his sarcastic laugh and smart but totally unwelcome remarks… Why can’t he at least take care of himself?

The other day, after my discussion, I found a piece of paper at Grantaires seat. He never listens, just doodles something and argues with me when he gets too bored. On the paper there was drawings of wine leafs and carnations (apparently Grantaire is a good drawer) and I could read pieces of some poem, “Could you love me like the student loves the revolution? Like the anxious loves the dawn? Like the pavement loves the loser? Could you love me the way that I love you?”. Even though I know the words were written by Grantaire’s hand they could have meant whatever, and still… Since I found that note I haven’t been able to stop thinking. Grantaire has tried to sober up, Bossuet said he picked up dancing again, he does come to every meeting and I think I’ve seen him looking at me.

Today he, Joly and Eponine where in the common room when I walked past and Grantaire said, loudly, “I feel bad for all the cis-men out there – is that politically correct to say? I feel bad for all cis-men, for here comes a trans-guy with more of classical, masculine beauty than most Greek gods, let alone normal people”. I was about to correct him on his narrow view of beauty when I had to stop myself, I think I blushed, “Are you flirting with me, Grantaire?”. “Shamelessly and all the time!”, and a smirk, that was the answer I got. He is never serious.

I’m writing this letter to whoever might care. I wanted to preserve the story about Les Amis de l’ABC, to write the stories that are often forgotten. I wanted Valjean’s efforts for humanity, Eponine’s struggle to stay alive, Provaire’s selfless helpfulness and the undying friendship of all of us to be remembered. Maybe what we do isn’t brave enough to be written about in history books, and maybe the world won’t remember us, but I refuse to believe that what we do doesn’t matter. I can see it in the eyes of Musichetta when she greets her boys, I can see it in Cosette’s smile when she hugs her father, and even the Thenardier girls, Eponine and Aselma, have finally gotten a home. I can’t believe it is for nothing.

That was what I wanted to write about. Instead, as it turns out, I think I’ve rambled mostly about a certain dark eyed cynic… I don’t know why it is like that, I can’t do anything about it! I’ve always lived for the cause, but now I’ve realised I need Grantaire like the fire needs oxygen; and the reason I can’t stand him being okay with people treating him like shit isn’t his general worth as a human being, but the fact that I care about him as an individual. Should I tell him that I want him to love me like the young ones love to dream, like the sailor loves the sea and the way that I, in fact, love him?

 

\- A.N. Enjolras

**Author's Note:**

> Hey again!
> 
> So I study sociology and visited a centre just like this made up one last spring with class. I live in Helsinki, Finland, so the statistics and laws and such (that I'm vaguely refering to) might not be the same in France or your country, I tried to make it as general as possible.
> 
> I don't usually picture Enjolras as trans but I like variation, and there are way too few trans characters out there!
> 
> The "poem" both Grantaire and Enjolras are quoting is actually a Swedish song that I translated - don't ask how a French speaking, Turkish born philosophical cynic knows Swedish... It is called "Precis som Romeo" (Eng: Just like Romeo) and is by the brilliant singer Håkan Hellström. The entire song fits ExR so well!
> 
> I threw in another Swedish reference as well... Enjolras talks about not being brave enough for people to write about him in history books. While I think it goes well together with Hugo's "A group which barely missed becoming historic", it is borrowed from Astrid Lindgren's "Brothers Lionheart" (read it!!).
> 
> Thank you for reading and have a great day :)


End file.
